Fewer than half of passengers know whether their minicab is licensed, according to research by the London Assembly.

It found while 85 per cent of users say its important to feel safe in a taxi, far fewer actually knew how to identify a legal vehicle.

However two thirds of black cab passengers knew how to identify whether their taxi was licensed.

"The interest in and focus on the arrival of Uber in London has become a distraction from some very serious issues facing the Taxi and Private Hire industries. Transport for London's (TFL's) performance as regulator and enforcer has been woefully inadequate and the interests of the passenger are being largely ignored. A strategy and vision for the future is essential in order to support the industry and provide the service that passengers require.
"TfL needs to get to grips with the basics - such as improving signage, installing more taxi ranks and staying ahead of the rapid technological advances, putting the passenger first - which is what Londoners and our visitors expect and deserve."

We are aware of the taxis trade’s desire to have a rank closer to The Shard and have recently reached an agreement with the owners of The Shard that will enable a single taxi to rank directly outside the building.

In addition a ‘taxi required’ light has been installed enabling The Shard’s concierge to signal taxi drivers on the nearby St Thomas Street rank to come forward and collect passengers.

In the longer term we are working to provide a full taxi rank, and are seeking to identify a suitable, safe location that is convenient for both taxi drivers and their passengers.

There is no need to stage a demonstration and doing so will only disrupt the travelling public, the very people that the taxi trade are supposed to serve.

Black cab fares in the capital are going up and could rise again as early as next January.From April 5, London taxi fares will increase by an average of 0.7%, Transport for London (TfL) announced today.

TfL said the below-inflation increase was the lowest since it took responsibility for licensing taxis in 2000 and the rise equated to just 9p more on an average fare.